Special Election VP Tier II (Online)

Special election for VP Tier II Employees will take place online Sept. 13-17. 

Instructions on how to vote will arrive via work email a few days before the ballotting window opens.

If you are unable to vote online during the scheduled period, you may cast an absentee ballot by appointment Tuesday, Sept. 7, through Thursday, Sept. 9, at 4 p.m. Absentee voters must contact the UHP office (860-676-8444) to arrange a time to submit a ballot there. 

We’ve invited each candidate to submit a bio of up to 300 words:

PETER BARANOWSKI

My objective in running for Vice President - Tier II is to advocate for all members of UHP to receive the respect and the recognition that they deserve. Employee recruitment and retention is at an all-time low, as is the morale of our workforce. We have so many position openings in the hourly job titles, that many of us are working unsustainable hours, exhausted and in need of relief. My focus will be to work with the UHP board and management to find solutions for our recruitment, retention and staffing.

I have team-building skills and pledge to strengthen our union through offering my work experience, my union experience and my drive to fight for our collective union rights. I understand the value of working hard, my education is real work experience and union membership, and I know how to fight for what is right. 

I know that freezing/lowering our union dues is a recipe for disaster. Fighting management, fighting privatization, per capita fee payments to our state and local federations, and just the cost of doing business - these are high-dollar items that are imperative to our success. Our local is frugal with its spending - I have served on the UHP Finance Committee and examined our budget. I will always tell you the truth - this is not a road that we should travel down as a union. We need to be adequately funded to continue to fight for our collective rights. I humbly ask for everybody’s vote September 13 - 17.

~Pete Baranowski

PETER ZARABOZO    

My name is Peter Zarabozo. I am running for Vice President Tier II of UHP 3837. I have been a Registered Nurse for 10 years and have a Master’s degree in Nursing/Education. I have worked in a variety of inpatient and out-patient settings and am a member of the un-ion’s negotiation team, active with the finance committee, in addition to being a steward.

I have been at UConn for over 1 year, but I am no stranger to bargaining with management and securing improvements in working conditions and increases in wages for my co-workers at previous employers - even without union representation.

If elected as VP Tier II of UHP 3837 I will do the following:

• Re-train and re-tool union reps to better organize members and push back on management.
• Advocate for freezing the current rate of dues to prevent any increase.
• Reallocate union dues towards more membership organizing, union activities, and growth at the local level - currently less than 1.9% of our dues go towards this effort. I want to make your dues work for you!
• Educate members on their rights, how to use them, and how to stand their ground against management.

We need an informed, active, and aggressive union membership if we are going to defend and advance our contract and mutual interests. I am committed and invested in the performance of our union as I am here for the long haul. 

I am always willing to listen to members about any work or union related concerns. I can be reached at peter.zarabozo@gmail.com.